Recently, China's Ningbo-Zhoushan Port launched the China-Europe Arctic Express - the world's first regular container service linking China with Europe through the Arctic Ocean. The importance of the Arctic shipping route has thus regained global focus, attracting significant interest not only from China, but also from Northeast Asian countries including South Korea.
China and South Korea are major economies and trading powers, with European trade as a key focus. The Arctic shipping route, which shortens distances, travel time and transportation costs, crucial for the economic growth of China and South Korea.
Given its proximity to the Pacific and the Bering Strait, South Korea sees even greater cost savings.
For example, traveling from Busan Port to Rotterdam via the Arctic route is approximately 32 percent shorter than the existing route through the Suez Canal, cutting the voyage duration from 32 to 33 days to around 18 days, saving more than two weeks.
Advancing cooperation in the Arctic region has also long been a priority for South Korea. Seoul established its first Arctic research station - Dasan Station - in Norway's Svalbard archipelago in 2002. It then signed the Svalbard Treaty in 2012 and became an observer in the Arctic Council alongside China and Japan in 2013.
Additionally, South Korea is actively engaging with China and Japan to explore Arctic collaboration and align its "New Northern Policy" with the "Ice Silk Road" initiative proposed by China and Russia.
Given their shared economic, trade, and maritime interests, particularly their status as observer states in the Arctic Council, China and South Korea possess significant potential for cooperation in Arctic affairs.
First, this is evident in the coordination of positions and policies within the Arctic Council. As observers, China and South Korea hold neither voting nor agenda-setting powers under the Council's rules, and may only articulate their stances on Arctic issues in specific settings.
If the two countries can align their interests, form a unified voice and work collectively to enhance their influence, this will be beneficial for both.
Next is the development of the Arctic shipping route. While promising, the route faces challenges due to underdeveloped infrastructure and harsh natural conditions, requiring substantial capital and technological investment to achieve commercial viability.
Beyond infrastructure, the successful commercialization of Arctic routes also depends on scientific research, environmental protection, shipping regulations, cultural exchange and sustainable development, areas in China and South Korea possess valuable expertise.
For over a decade, scholars from China, South Korea and Japan have engaged in trilateral Arctic cooperation through the North Pacific Arctic Research Community Meeting, holding annual academic meetings rotated among the three countries.
However, the evolving international geopolitical landscape has heightened US wariness regarding China's involvement in the region and its collaboration with other Arctic states such as Russia. The US administration has repeatedly voiced skepticism toward China's Arctic engagement, arguing that China is not an Arctic state.
As US military allies, South Korea and Japan face significant constraints in shaping independent foreign policies and pursuing mutually beneficial international cooperation. Washington has increasingly drawn the two countries into regional air and naval joint exercises, which carry clear maritime deterrence objectives against China. With the US increasingly framing its Arctic policy in geopolitical and military terms, the extent to which Seoul and Tokyo will be drawn into Arctic strategic competition remains uncertain.
The common interests and demands of China, South Korea and even Japan in Arctic affairs and route development are both objectively evident and essential. Therefore, relevant parties should look beyond geopolitical concerns and adopt a forward-looking perspective on Arctic cooperation.
Given current international tensions, they could begin collaboration in less politically sensitive fields - such as scientific research, environmental protection and academic and cultural exchanges - to build a solid foundation and foster potential for deeper future cooperation.
The author is a director at the Center for Maritime and Polar Region Studies of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.
China and South Korea are major economies and trading powers, with European trade as a key focus. The Arctic shipping route, which shortens distances, travel time and transportation costs, crucial for the economic growth of China and South Korea.
Given its proximity to the Pacific and the Bering Strait, South Korea sees even greater cost savings.
For example, traveling from Busan Port to Rotterdam via the Arctic route is approximately 32 percent shorter than the existing route through the Suez Canal, cutting the voyage duration from 32 to 33 days to around 18 days, saving more than two weeks.
Advancing cooperation in the Arctic region has also long been a priority for South Korea. Seoul established its first Arctic research station - Dasan Station - in Norway's Svalbard archipelago in 2002. It then signed the Svalbard Treaty in 2012 and became an observer in the Arctic Council alongside China and Japan in 2013.
Additionally, South Korea is actively engaging with China and Japan to explore Arctic collaboration and align its "New Northern Policy" with the "Ice Silk Road" initiative proposed by China and Russia.
Given their shared economic, trade, and maritime interests, particularly their status as observer states in the Arctic Council, China and South Korea possess significant potential for cooperation in Arctic affairs.
First, this is evident in the coordination of positions and policies within the Arctic Council. As observers, China and South Korea hold neither voting nor agenda-setting powers under the Council's rules, and may only articulate their stances on Arctic issues in specific settings.
If the two countries can align their interests, form a unified voice and work collectively to enhance their influence, this will be beneficial for both.
Next is the development of the Arctic shipping route. While promising, the route faces challenges due to underdeveloped infrastructure and harsh natural conditions, requiring substantial capital and technological investment to achieve commercial viability.
Beyond infrastructure, the successful commercialization of Arctic routes also depends on scientific research, environmental protection, shipping regulations, cultural exchange and sustainable development, areas in China and South Korea possess valuable expertise.
For over a decade, scholars from China, South Korea and Japan have engaged in trilateral Arctic cooperation through the North Pacific Arctic Research Community Meeting, holding annual academic meetings rotated among the three countries.
However, the evolving international geopolitical landscape has heightened US wariness regarding China's involvement in the region and its collaboration with other Arctic states such as Russia. The US administration has repeatedly voiced skepticism toward China's Arctic engagement, arguing that China is not an Arctic state.
As US military allies, South Korea and Japan face significant constraints in shaping independent foreign policies and pursuing mutually beneficial international cooperation. Washington has increasingly drawn the two countries into regional air and naval joint exercises, which carry clear maritime deterrence objectives against China. With the US increasingly framing its Arctic policy in geopolitical and military terms, the extent to which Seoul and Tokyo will be drawn into Arctic strategic competition remains uncertain.
The common interests and demands of China, South Korea and even Japan in Arctic affairs and route development are both objectively evident and essential. Therefore, relevant parties should look beyond geopolitical concerns and adopt a forward-looking perspective on Arctic cooperation.
Given current international tensions, they could begin collaboration in less politically sensitive fields - such as scientific research, environmental protection and academic and cultural exchanges - to build a solid foundation and foster potential for deeper future cooperation.
The author is a director at the Center for Maritime and Polar Region Studies of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.
